Food product package



-' Nov. 14, 1939. J. v A. HASBROOK 2.179.504

FOOD PRODUCT PACKAGE Filed May 28, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 j- I 2- 1' k x/X Q 19* I? Z4Z Patented Nov. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOODPRODUCT PACKAGE John V. A. Hasbrook, Hinsdale, Ill., assignor to ChicagoCarton Company, Chicago, Ill.,- a corporation of Illinois ApplicationMay 28,

2 Claims.

1936, Serial No. 82,162

This invention relates to improvements in food tangular cross sectionand its upper and lower product packages, and although adaptable to awide variety of food products, it is especially desirable in connectionwith confections such as ice-cream or candy bars.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a package for thepurpose indicated which will maintain the package content in a clean andsanitary condition; to provide a package which may be opened in such amanner as to facilitate consumption of the package content while alsoproviding a wrapper or holder for the product to facilitate handling thesame while consuming it; to provide a package of the character indicatedwhich may be produced at very low cost but which will nevertheless behighly efficient for its indicated purpose.

In general, it is the object of the invention to provide an improvedfood product package and other objects and advantages of the inventionwill be understood by reference to the following specification andaccompanying drawings, wherein there is illustrated a food productpackage embodying a selected form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective showing the improved package partially opened.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan of a blank for forming the main body of the container.

Fig. 4 is a. plan of a blank used for forming a closure for the top endof the package.

Fig. 5 is a perspective showing the finished form of the top endclosure.

Fig. 6 is a plan of a blank used for forming the bottom end closure.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary, sectional view of the lower end portion of thepackage, but showing a modified construction.

Fig. 8 is a plan of a modified form of blank embodying the main bodyportion and the top and bottom closures in a one-piece construction.

Fig. 9 is a perspective similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified form,and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary cross section corresponding to a portion ofFig. 2, but showing a modified construction.

Referring-now to the drawings, the improved package comprises anelongated, tubular container I0, preferably made'of a waxed or otherwisemoistureproofed paper board of sufficient stiffness to maintain thedesired shape. In this instance, the elongated tubular body is ofrecends are closed by means of closures ii and ii.

The container body I0 is formed from a generally rectangular blankillustratedin' Fig. 3, which is provided with vertically orlongitudinally 'extending weakened fold lines indicated at I3, Iii, andtransversely extending score lines l4, It. The fold lines l3 arepreferably made without cutting the paper stock of the blank and theselines serve merely to permit bending of the blank along the linesindicated to shape the blank .into the tubular, rectangular formindicated. The opposite side margins of the blank designated l5 and i6respectively, are brought into mutually overlapping relation asindicated in Fig. 1, and are adhesively united so as to maintain theblank in said tubular form. The adhesive for uniting the margins ispreferably confined to approximately onehalf the width of theoverlapping portions of the flanges. In Fig. 3, the zone of adhesion isindicated at II.

It will be evident that the outer marginal portions of the side marginis will not be attached to the inner portion of the side margin l5,whereby the edge portion of the margin l6 may easily be lifted from theunderlying margin l5 so as to facilitate separation of the joined areas.

The score lines I4 are of such form that they facilitate tearing of thecontainer body transversely along the lines l4, thereby permittingremoval of sections of the container. To facilitate removal of thesections, the marginal portion I6 is provided with notches l8 and slitsIS, the slits being aligned respectively with score lines it. The lengthof the slits I9 is such that their inner ends terminate approximatelywhere the zone of attachment between the overlapped margins begins.

It will be seen that the notches and slits just described serve topermit separation of a tonguelike end portion of one of the blanksections defined by the score lines It, so that separation of the freeend portion of one section may be readily accomplished withoutdisturbing the tongue-like end portion of the adjacent section.

The blank illustrated in Fig. 3, may conveniently be forrr ed ofwax-coated cardboard of suitable stiffness and the overlying sidemarginal portions may be united by merely applying heat to the narrowzone II to an extent sufficient to fuse the adjacent wax coatings of theorerlaping portions, it being understood that both surfaces of the blankare preferably coated. However, a coating of wax on one surface only maybe used if preferred, and the joining of the overlapping marginalportions may still be effected by applying heat as indicated to melt thesingle wax coating, which, upon cooling, will, of course, act as anadhesive to unite the overlapping portions.

When the package is to be used for containing ice-cream, to provide aso-called ice-cream bar, a bottom end closure such as I2 is firstinserted in the lower end of the tubular container. As indicated in Fig.6, the bottom closure consists of a blank having four flaps extendingfrom a central portion, the flaps being foldable on suitable score linessuch as indicated at 20, to substantially perpendicular relation to thecentral portion. As indicated in Fig. 2, the central or bottom wall isuppermost with the flaps depending therefrom, so as to form a hollowspace desig-- nated 2| in the lower end of the container body. Asindicated in Fig. 2, the bottom wall I2 is pref erably disposed somewhatbelow the lowest score line H for a purpose which will presently appear.The bottom element l2 may also be formed of wax-coated paperboard, andit may be secured in place in the lower end of the container by applyingheat and pressure to melt the wax between adjacent surfaces of theclosure member and the container body. Upon cooling, the melted waxwill, of course, effectively unite the parts.

When the container body is equipped with a bottomelement in the mannerexplained, it forms a substantially moisture-proof, non-leaking endclosure. Ice-cream indicated at 22, in fairly soft condition, may thenbe flown into the container to fill the same to the desired extent,whereupon the upper end closure ll may be applied. The upper end closureis in the form of a shallow tray having upwardly extending side flanges.It is similar in construction to the bottom closure, but as indicated ismade much shallower. It may be secured in place by like means, i. e., bymelting the wax coating between adjacent surfaces of the closure memberand container body, which melted wax upon cooling and hardening willeffectively unite the parts. Although it is not necessary to provide anyarrangement for facilitating removal of the end closure, a tongue 23 maybe formed as an extension of one of the side flaps of the upper endclosure and such tongue may be bent to inwardly extending positionillustrated, wherein it may easily be grasped between the fingers tofacilitate removal of the end closure.

It is not important that the end closure be so arranged that it may beeasily removed, since the normal method of opening the package is topull off or remove the uppermost section of the container body bytearing along the upper score line H. Obviously, when such uppermostsection is removed, there is nothing left to hold the end closure inplace which may then be readily removed from the end of the exposedice-cream or other content of the package.

In some instances, it may be preferred to form the package from a singleblank embodying not only the tubular container body portion, but alsothe upper and lower end closures. In Fig. 8 a blank is illustratedembodying integrally attached upper and lower end closures. Because ofthe depth of the lower end closure l2, it is desirable that one flapdesignated 24 be provided with an intermediate fold line designated 25,

which will permit said flap to be folded upon itself as indicated inFig. 7, to permit insertion. of the end closure l2. From the positionindicated in full lines in Fig. '7, it will be apparent that the endclosure may be pressed inwardly in the container to its normal positionindicated in Fig. 2, the folded flap 24 being incidentally unfolded asindicated in the dotted line, partiallyinserted position illustrated inFig. 7. When the parts are fully inserted, they may be sealed in placeby means such as already described.

While it has above been indicated that the tubular body of. thecontainer may have its margins united by fusing wax coatings on adjacentsurfaces of the overlapping portions or through the agency of heatingeven a single wax coating and causing it to harden and thereby unite thetwo margins, it will also be understood that other forms of adhesivematerial may be used if preferred. For example, certain well knownvegetable pastes or glues may be applied to the zone indicated at H andrelied upon for uniting the said parts.

The container may be modified in numerous other ways. For example, thefree or tab-form- 'ing outermarginal portion of the flap I6 may besomewhat more ornamental in shape to more clearly-show the tabs and saidtabportions may be made more freely bendable relative to the portions ofthe margins 16 which are united to the underlying wall portion byproviding a fold line such as indicated at 26. The said fold line 26 maybe in the form of an ordinary crease or indented line and it wouldpreferably-substantially register with the underlying edge of theadhesive area.

The container body may also be provided with an indented line or portion21, substantially parallel with the score lines H and disposed inposition to engage the edges of the bottom closure l2. By reference toFig. 10 wherein this modification is illustrated, it will be apparentthat the provision of an indentation or crease such as 21 will serve tolimit the extent to which the bottom l2 may be inserted. The side orflap portions of the bottom member may also be provided with creasessuch as indicated at 28, formed therein so as to project outwardly whenthe closure is in place. Said creases may be desirable for the purposeof forming areas of intimate engagement between the said flaps and theinside of the container to provide traps for melted paraffin or the likewhich has a tendency to flow through very fine spaces. Such traps wouldprovide points at which flowing paraflin would tend to gather and hardenthereby insuring an airtight seal between the bottom element and thecontainer body.

The application of heat for sealing the joints between the various partsof the package, may. of course, be effected by any suitable heatingdevices with which the application of pressure may also be effected ifdesired. In some instances it may be preferable to form the packagewithout the employment of heat. In such cases, the margins of the bodywould preferably be united through the agency of a suitable vegetablepaste or glue andth'e bottom element may be secured in place by sprayingmelted wax or the like around the edges of the bottom l2 where theyengage the walls of the container body.

When the container is used for holding a confection such as ice-creamwhich is to be held in the hand while being consumed, the hollow endportion 2| constitutes a handle portion so that the heat of the handwill not be directly transmitted to the ice-cream to melt the same. By

thus preventing melting of the ice-cream, one cause for leakage isremoved, since ice-cream in its normally hard state does not readilyflow. It

will be understood, of course, that in filling the container, theice-cream is poured in in a fairly softened condition and that after thecover is applied and secured in place, the container may be placed in afreezing chamber to eifect hardening of the ic'e-cream. This willrequire only a short period of time, after which the packaged confectionis ready for sale.

When the confection is consumed to such an extent that the containerbody section above the lowermost score line I 4 is removed, theremaining shallow receptacle-like portion immediately above the bottomclosure l2 serves to effectively hold the ice-cream or other confectionattached to the remaining handle portion of the container. Hence, thelowermost portion of the confection will not readily be lost from thehandle when the last section of the container is removed to expose thebottom portion of the content.

Changes in the described arrangement may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention, the scope of which should be determined byreference to the following claims, the same being construed as broadlyas possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim:

1. A package of the class described comprising an elongated, tubularcontainer body, a closure for the lower end of said body, said closurebeing located in inwardly spaced relation to one end of the body, saidbody being provided with scoring extending transversely therearound ininwardly spaced relation to said closure, said scoring serving to permitremoval of an end portion of the body by tearing along said scoring tothereby expose a portion of the package content, and said location ofthe scoring relative to said bottom serving to effect retention of aportion of the container body to'insure adequate anchorage of theexposed packaged content to the retained body portion.

2. A package of the class described comprising an elongated, tubularcontainer body, a closure for the lower end of said body, said closurebeing located in inwardly spaced relation to one end of the body, saidbody being provided with in wardly extending creasing constituting aseat for positioning said closure, and said body being provided with aplurality of relatively independent lines of scoring extendingtransversely around the body, the lowermost of said lines of scoringbeing spaced upwardly fromsaid closure so that when the body portiondefined by said lowermost line of scoring is removed, a portion of thecontainer body remains in upwardly extending relation to said closure tothereby form with the closure a shallow receptacle to insure adequateanchorage for the exposed package content to the remaining body portion.

JOHN V. A. HASBROOK. m

